Don't understand all the media (and some posters) negativity about Bell in the 2nd

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I guess I simply don't value running backs that highly in general. I think they are, given the direction that NFL offenses are evolving, largely expendable commodities. If the guy can pass block well, catch a safety valve dump off and provide a good enough diversion to give defenses something to think about, he's doing his job. If your line can get it blocked effectively, the 7th best back in the draft is good enough. The question is, will all the investments on the line make that happen?

I've now seen about 5 or 6 different sites commenting that Bell in the second was too early -- he should have lasted until the third, possibly the fourth round. Then they go on to mention Wheaton had a second round grade and Thomas had a third round grade.

So with picks 2, 3, and 4, they got three guys projected in rounds 2, 3, and 4. Other than who gets which salary, does it really matter which one was picked where? Isn't the lack of perceived value in Bell balanced by getting the other two later than projected?

I agree. If he was the BPA in their board or the BPA at a position of need, I donīt see any problem with take him.

I agree. If he was the BPA in their board or the BPA at a position of need, I donīt see any problem with take him.

And he was the RB with more yards after contact in all NCAA.

I wasn't happy with the Bell pick at the time. It wasn't that I preferred another running back over Bell. It was that I wanted them to go with a big receiver like Keenan Allen whom I thought would have been a good value for that pick.

That said the more I've read about Bell the better the pick seems to be. The good hands receiving, pass blocking and what you said SteelSpain about the yards after contact makes me feel much more confident about the pick.

Fact is that given all the RBs in the draft, this was the one that they most coveted. Chances are that had they passed on him then he would not still have been there in the third considering the run at the position towards the end of the second.

Apparently they had him rated highly enough that taking someone like Hunt or Brown or Swearinger and then grabbing a lesser back (lesser in their opinion anyway) later was not preferable to getting their RB in the second and a less desirable player like Hawthorne at CB later.

I wasn't happy with the Bell pick at the time. It wasn't that I preferred another running back over Bell. It was that I wanted them to go with a big receiver like Keenan Allen whom I thought would have been a good value for that pick.

That said the more I've read about Bell the better the pick seems to be. The good hands receiving, pass blocking and what you said SteelSpain about the yards after contact makes me feel much more confident about the pick.

So with picks 2, 3, and 4, they got three guys projected in rounds 2, 3, and 4. Other than who gets which salary, does it really matter which one was picked where? Isn't the lack of perceived value in Bell balanced by getting the other two later than projected?

The ONLY possible argument is to have found a trade partner and traded down and picked up another draft pick...

But, as has been pointed out, he may not have made it out of the round, so you're not trading down more than say 8-10 spots AND taking the chance you lose your guy.

But, then, you'd need a partner and while it's not "nothing", best you could hope for is about a 4-5 rounder (or future 3-4 rounder), depending on how desperate the trade partner is..

I did too, despite the slow 40 time and injury issue. I found myself hoping he would fall to the Steelers, and then saw flashes of Limas Sweed, another big WR initially thought to go in the first who fell...